The instant invention relates to clothing and more particularly to a shirt construction having an adjustable collar and to an adapter for adapting the collar of a conventional shirt for adjustability.
It has generally been found that in some instances shirts having collars which are adjustable to various diameters within preset ranges have specific advantages over shirts having preset collar sizes. Specifically, it has been found that shirts having adjustable collars can often be worn more comfortably than shirts having predetermined collar sizes, and it has been found that shirts having adjustable collars can be adapted to compensate for collar shrinkage and/or variations in wearer size. Still further, it has been found that for practical reasons certain types of specialty shirts, such as formal-wear shirts which are often rented by wearers for use on special occasions, have increased effectiveness when they are embodied with adjustable collars.
However, while the benefits of providing shirts having adjustable collars have generally been heretofore recognized, the prior art has generally failed to provide an effective shirt construction having an adjustable collar or an adapter for adapting a conventional shirt for adjustability. In this regard, the closest prior art to the subject invention of which the applicant is aware is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. to Walensky #2,740,124; Schafer #2,983,006; Berger #3,142,843; Piehler #3,274,615; and Berger #3,828,365. However, most of these references disclose shirts having adjustable collars which rely on resilient elastic bands or tabs for adjustability. Unfortunately, it has been found that resilient tabs or on bands the collars of shirts of this type apply added tension to the necks of wearers so that they cause wearer discomfort. It has been further found that shirts having resilient tabs of this type are generally less than effective from an aesthetic standpoint, since the resilient tabs thereof are often highly visible during use and since the portions of the shirts which are adjacent to the tabs often sag, pull or become wrinkled when the tabs are worn in expanded dispositions.
The instant invention provides an effective and improved shirt construction having an adjustable collar and an adapter which is operable in combination with a conventional shirt for adding adjustability to the collar thereof. More specifically, the shirt construction of the instant invention comprises a shirt of the type including a collar, a first front panel including a first front edge portion, a second front panel including a second front edge portion receivable in overlapping relation on the first front edge portion, and a plurality of spaced fastening elements for releasably securing the second front edge portion in overlapping relation on the first front edge portion. The shirt construction further comprises an extension tab on one of the first or second front edge portions which extends a distance beyond the edge thereof adjacent the collar and hook-and-pile-type fastening means on the extension tab and on the other of the first or second front edge portions for adjustably securing the first and second front edge portions together adjacent the collar. The extension tab preferably extends from the edge of the first front edge portion, and the fastening means is preferably provided on the outwardly facing side of the extension tab and on the inwardly facing side of the second front panel adjacent the collar for adjustably securing the first and second front panels together so that the extension tab and the fastening means are concealed during use. The shirt construction preferably further comprises a reinforcing panel on the first front edge portion which is attached to the extension tab and extends therewith beyond the first front edge portion and downwardly therefrom at least as far as the adjacent fastening element on the first front edge portion. The reinforcing panel preferably has a stiffness which is at least double the stiffness of the first front edge portion in order to prevent the first front edge portion from becoming pulled, stretched, or wrinkled when the shirt collar is secured in an expanded position. The reinforcing panel is preferably integrally formed with the extension tab from a reinforced fabric material, and the fastening elements, other than the uppermost fastening elements, preferably comprise spaced buttons in the first front edge portion, and spaced buttonholes are formed in the second front edge portion for receiving the buttons therein. Further, the uppermost buttonhole in the second front edge portion of the shirt is preferably formed in a transversely extending disposition to enable a button to be transversely repositioned therein as the diameter of the collar of the shirt is adjusted.
For use and operation of the shirt of the instant invention, the hook-and-pile-type fastening elements on the extension tab and on the opposite front edge portion of the shirt are releasably and adjustably securable together for securing the adjacent collar edge portions of the shirt together without applying resilient tension to the neck of a wearer. The reinforcing panel reinforces the first front edge portion of the shirt, so that when the hook-and-pile-type fastening means are secured together, the adjacent front edge portions of the shirt are reinforced by the reinforcing panel and are not prone to pulling, sagging and wrinkling. Further, the transverse buttonhole in the second front edge portion is adapted to receive the uppermost button on the first front edge portion so that the button is transversely repositionable therein to further prevent wrinkling and pulling in the upper front portions of the shirt. Still further, because the extension tab is provided on the first front edge portion of the shirt, the extension tab is effectively concealed by the second front edge portion of the shirt when the collar of the shirt is secured in an expanded position. Accordingly, the collar portion of the shirt construction of the instant invention is effectively adjustable in a manner which is normally undetectable so that the shirt construction of the instant invention is effectively adapted to be embodied in a variety of types of shirts, including formal-wear shirts.
The shirt construction adapter of the instant invention is operative in connection with a conventional front buttoning shirt for adapting the collar thereof to be adjusted in a manner similar to the collar of the shirt construction of the instant invention as hereinabove set forth. More specifically, the adapter comprises an extension tab which is releasably securable to a collar button of a front buttoning type shirt so that it extends a distance beyond the adjacent front edge portion of the shirt, a fastening tab which is releasably securable in the collar buttonhole of the shirt, and hook-and-pile-type fastening means on the fastening tab and on the extension tab for adjustably securing the front edge portions of the shirt which are adjacent the collar thereof together. The adapter preferably further comprises a reinforcing panel which is preferably integrally attached to the extension tab so that it extends therewith beyond the adjacent edge of the shirt. The reinforcing panel preferably extends downwardly from the extension tab and is securable to the next-adjacent button of the shirt when the extension tab is secured to the collar button of the shirt. The reinforcing panel is preferably made in a reinforced fabric construction, and the fastening tab preferably includes a button which is receivable in the collar buttonhole of a shirt for securing the fastening tab thereto.
Accordingly, the adapter of the instant invention is operative for adapting a conventional front buttoning type shirt for use in a manner similar to the shirt construction of the instant invention. More specifically, the extension tab and reinforcing panel portions of the adapter are securable to the top two buttons on the first front edge portion of a shirt, and the fastening tab of the adapter is securable in the collar buttonhole of a shirt. The fastening means on the extension tab and on the fastening tab are releasably securable together for adjustably securing the front edge portions of a shirt together adjacent the collar thereof. The reinforcing panel extends downwardly from the extension tab for reinforcing the adjacent edge portions of the shirt to prevent wrinkling caused by pulling; and since the reinforcing panel and the extension tab are secured to the portion of the shirt to which the buttons thereof are secured, they are normally concealed by the adjacent overlaying buttonhole portion of the shirt.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an effective shirt construction having an adjustable collar.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide an effective adapter for use with a conventional shirt to provide adjustability in the collar thereof.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a shirt construction having an adjustable collar which has the appearance of a conventional shirt.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.